Moving bed catalytic process for hydrocarbon conversion

Claim 2

A process for the continuous conversion of hydrocarbons, in the presence of a granular catalyst containing a carrier and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of metals from groups VI a, VII a and VIII of the periodic classification of the elements, comprising circulating a charge formed of hydrogen and hydrocarbons through a reaction space comprising at least two elementary catalytic zones, connected in series, substantially vertical and placed side by side, each of them being of the moving bed type, the charge circulating successively through each zone and the catalyst also passing successively through each zone and moving continuously downwardly therethrough, continuously withdrawing the catalyst from the bottom of the last catalytic zone, passing resultant withdrawn catalyst to an accumulator, and from the accumulator sending the catalyst to a fixed bed regeneration zone, isolating the fixed bed regeneration zone from the process during regeneration, the catalyst in the regeneration zone where, forming a fixed bed, it is successively subjected in the form of said fixed bed (a) to a combustion by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen whose oxygen content by volume is from 0.01 to 1%, (b) to an oxychlorination by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen whose oxygen content by volume is from 1 to 3% and simultaneously by means of at least oe alkyl halide, and (c) to a final oxidation treatment by means of an oxygen-containing gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 3 to 20%, passing resultant regenerated catalyst to a reducing zone and from which the reduced catalyst is progressively reintroduced into the upper part of the first catalytic zone of the reaction space so as to maintain a substantially constant high level of activity in each point of the catalytic zones.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, wherein the regenerated catalyst before being reintroduced into the first catalytic zone of the reaction space, is first introduced progressively into a second reaction space, through one of the end parts of said second reaction space, in which the treatment of the charge issued from the first reaction space is continued, the catalyst being then progressively withdrawn from the other end of said second reaction space and finally progressively reintroduced into the first reaction space.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 2, wherein the second reaction space is comprised of at least two elementary catalytic zones connected in series, substantially vertical and placed side by side, each of them being of the moving bed type, the charge circulating successively through each zone and the catalyst passing also successively through each zone and progressively flowing downwardly therethrough, the catalyst being progressively withdrawn from the bottom portion of the last zone and sent to the top portion of the first elementary reaction zone of the first reaction space.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1, wherein the volume of at least one of the elementary catalytic zones of the reaction space is larger than at least one other of the elementary catalytic zones upstream thereof.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 3, in which the volume of the catalytic zone of the second reaction space increases in the general direction of flow of the charge and of the catalyst.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 5, in which the volume of the catalytic zone of the first reaction space increases in the general direction of flow of the charge and of the catalyst.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1, in which the volume of at least one of the elementary catalytic zones is larger than at least one other of the elementary catalytic zones upstream thereto with respect to the direction of flow of the charge and downstream thereto in the general direction of flow of the catalyst.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein oxygen content by volume is from 3 to 20%; and wherein the regenerated catalyst in the reducing zone is reduced in the presence of a hydrogen stream and in the absence of a hydrocarbon reaction mixture.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 8, in which the step (b) is carried out with the use of a gas containing molecular oxygen together with carbon tetrachloride, either alone or in admixture with a halogenated halohydric acid.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 9, in which, in the regeneration step, the combustion (a) is conducted at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C. under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 by means of a gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 0.01 to 1%, in which the oxychlorination (b) is carried out at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 1 to 3% and of a carbon tetrachloride content such that said carbon tetrachloride be capable of forming from 0.5 to 1.2% by weight an alumina halogenated derivative with respect to the ctalyst subjected to the regeneration, in which the final treatment with oxygen (c) is carried out at a temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 3 to 20%.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 1, wherein the charge circulates successively through each elementary catalytic zone along a radial path.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is transferred from one elementary catalystic zone to another and from the last elementary catalytic zone of the reaction space to the regeneration zone by lift means whose conveying gas is recycle hydrogen.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 1, wherein the flow of the charge through each elementary catalytic zone is axial.

Claim 15

A process for converting hydrocarbons according to claim 1, for carrying out reforming reactions.

Claim 16

A process for continuously converting hydrocarbons in which a charge, formed of hydrocarbons and hydrogen, is circulated through a reaction space containing a granular catalyst including a carrier and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of the metals from groups VI a, VIIa, and VIII of the periodic classification of the elements and wherein the granular catalyst, continuously introduced through one of the end parts of the reaction space is continuously withdrawn from the other end part of said reaction space and wherein the granular catalyst continuously withdrawn from the reaction space is sent to an accumulator and from the accumulator to a regeneration zone which is isolated from the process during regeneration, in which zone the granular catalyst is arranged in a fixed bed and successively subjected in the form of said fixed bed to (a) a combustion by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen, this combustion being conducted at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 0.01 to 1%, (b) to an oxychlorination by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen together with at least one alkyl halide, optionally in admixture with at least one halohydric acid, said oxychlorination being conducted at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content, by volume, is from 1 to 3% and of a compound containing such a proportion of alkyl halide that said alkyl halide be capable of forming halogenated alumina derivative in a proportion of 0.5 to 1.2% by weight with respect to the catalyst subjected to the regeneration, and (c) to a final oxidation by means of an oxygen-containing gas, this final treatment with oxygen being carried out at a temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas, whose oxygen content by volume is from 3 to 20%; and in which after the regeneration the regenerated catalyst is reduced in the presence of a hydrogen stream and in the absence of a hydrocarbon reaction mixture and the so-treated catalyst is progressively reintroduced through the end of the reaction space opposite to that from which the catalyst has been withdrawn, in order to replace the catalyst withdrawn from the reaction space, so as to maintain a substantially constant high activity level at each point of the catalytic space.

Claim 17

A process for continuously converting hydrocarbons in which a charge, formed of hydrocarbons and hydrogen, is circulated through a reaction space containing a granular catalyst including a carrier and at least one metal selected from the group consisting of the metals from groups VI a, VIIa, and VIII of the periodic classification of the elements and wherein the granular catalyst, continuously introduced through one of the end parts of the reaction space is continuously withdrawn from the other end part of said reaction space and wherein the granular catalyst continuously withdrawn from the reaction space is sent to an accumulator and from the accumulator to a regeneration zone which is isolated from the process during regeneration, in which zone the granular catalyst is arranged in a fixed bed and successively subjected in the form of said fixed bed to (a) a combustion by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen, this combustion being conducted at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content by volume is from 0.01 to 1%, (b) to an oxychlorination by means of a gas containing molecular oxygen together with at least one alkyl halide, optionally in admixture with at least one halohydric acid, said oxychlorination being conducted at an average temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas whose oxygen content, by volume, is from 1 to 3% and of a compound containing such a proportion of alkyl halide that said alkyl halide be capable of forming halogenated alumina derivative in a proportion of 0.5 to 1.2% by weight with respect to the catalyst subjected to the regeneration, and (c) to a final oxidation by means of an oxygen-containing gas, this final treatment with oxygen being carried out at a temperature from 350 to 550° C., under a pressure from 1 to 15 kg/cm 2 , by means of a gas, whose oxygen content by volume is from 3 to 20%; and in which after the regeneration the regenerated catalyst is reduced in the presence of a hydrogen stream and in the absence of a hydrocarbon reaction mixture and the so-treated catalyst is progressively reintroduced through the end of the reaction space opposite to that from which the catalyst has been withdrawn, in order to replace the catalyst withdrawn from the reaction space, so as to maintain a substantially constant high activity level at each point of the catalytic space.